Queries on Conversation
My yellow Lab, Izzy, adores his king-sized Kong™. And, when it’s stuffed with peanut butter and dog food, don’t even think about talking to him. You’ll practically break his heart–he’s so dedicated to unstuffing his king Kong™ in a minimum of time.
Judging from the emails I received, some of you wonder if “talking” to your readers might be a similarly not-so-good idea.
Instead, when you take the time to engage your readers, I think you’ll be surprised at what a really good idea it turns out to be.
Don’t believe me? Keep reading.
Q: Won’t I distract my readers by asking them tons of *questions*? It seems a bit like the chef coming out of the kitchen to ask every five minutes, “Is the food okay?”
That’s a great analogy and, sure, if you asked after every paragraph, “What did you think of that paragraph? Did I make my point? Do you agree with me?” you might just be overdoing it. But that’s not what conversation’s about.
Think about the really good conversations you’ve had today. Chances are, there was lots of back and forth, lots of give and take, and you probably learned something. And that’s what I’m encouraging you to do in your newsletter.
Open yourself up and engage your readers. Don’t sit back on your throne, sharing wondrous bits of information–get out there and “get your hands dirty.”
This isn’t about needing reader feedback. You’re not even particularly interested in their opinion of the job you’re doing in your newsletter. Rather, it’s about talking with your readers. Not as the expert dolling out advice, but as a colleague, someone they can debate with or express new ideas to.
Instead of asking readers constantly for feedback, wait until the end. Ask them just one really specific question. Make it a question a reader with absolutely no experience could answer.
That’s how you engage readers in conversation.
Q: Every time I ask a question in my newsletter, I hear back from the same readers. It’s not that I don’t like those readers–I really do–but I’d like to hear from some of the other people on my list. How can I encourage other readers to respond, too?
The first thing to analyze is the size of your list. If you have under 500 subscribers, you may just have reached the limit of the number of readers who are likely to respond. That doesn’t mean you can’t “get lucky” and ask a question that will get a wide response from many readers–but it does make determining such a question in advance much trickier.
If you have more than 1000 readers, though, and you’re only hearing from a small handful (less than 1%) each time you send an issue, there are some things you may be able to do to get “silent” readers responding to you.
- Narrow your *questions* even more. Make your *questions* so specific they apply to less than one quarter of your likely readership. Then narrow the question down even more. See how minute you can make it until you’re sure only one or two of your readers might think the question was applicable to them.
- Simplify the question. Once your question only applies to one or two of your readers, simplify it. Which parts of the question can you leave out? Which parts are absolutely crucial? By simplifying your question, you’re likely to broaden it’s applicability as well and that’s fine.
- Think of five possible answers. If the question doesn’t have at least this many answers, start again with step one.
- Ask the question like I’m four. Ask the question in your newsletter as if you’re asking it of a four-year-old. Make it so simple everyone will be able to understand it even if they’re just skimming the newsletter quickly.
- Present the question in its best light. Experiment with where you put the question in your newsletter. Try setting it apart a bit either with formatting (bold, or a color, for instance) or with extra spacing. Don’t put it way off in the “middle of nowhere,” but do give it plenty of space. Test out different locations until you find the one that’s perfect for your readers.
By using this formula every time you write a question, you’re likely to come up with queries that have an ideal balance of narrow focus and broader appeal.
Q: I asked a question and I was flooded with emails–many of them say the same thing. Do I really have to answer each reader individually, or can I just say something more general in the next issue of my newsletter?
Well, let’s look at it this way. Do you want any of these readers to ever write you again? Do you want them to, maybe, someday, hire you or buy something from you?
Your newsletter is a relationship-building tool. What kind of relationship are you building if you don’t reply when readers email you?
Remember, there’s no rule that you have to get back to everyone who writes you within 24 hours. If you need longer to write all the replies, take longer. But, if you ask a question that gets a good response (which is, presumably, what you wanted 
) then you need to respond to each reader individually.
Does that mean each email you write needs to be sparkling and witty, written from scratch with nary an overlap with the dozen other emails you wrote responding to similar answers?
Of course not. (Though don’t copy and paste your replies, either–customize each one.)
You don’t need to prove how creative you are when you’re writing replies to readers. Rather, you need to demonstrate that you’re responsive, receptive to their feedback, and genuinely there.
So, congrats for getting such a great response to your question! Take a little time to celebrate and then get to work typing up those email responses.
Your challenge: No challenge today, but I do have a question for you: What one field would you most want to add to your *newsletter subscribe form*? And why haven’t you added it? Post your questions in the comments.
Members: Talk about this topic in the forum.
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About the Author
Jessica helps independent professionals become Indispensable Experts through powerful publishing programs. She works with clients one-on-one as a newsletter designer and writer and in groups through the Newsletter Spa.
Email Jessica directly, to find out more.